Thermally insulated wall structure



July 14, 1936., J. M. LE GRAND THERMALLY INSULATED WALL STRUCTURE Filed July 14, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet l M5 l@ @z3 I I I|| l llllIIf July 14, 1936. J, M LE GRAND 2,047,211

THERMALLY INSULATED WALL STRUCTURE J@ www f.

July 14, l936. J. M. LE GRAND THERMALLY INSULATED WALL STRUCTURE Filed July 14, 1934 3 Sheets--SheeTI 3 .y W j u .i f f f P n. y ,.m j @j 7 @JM TTQ jm Ti mmv lioseph lill. ite draad, Meathaville, Wa. Application .l liti, litt, heriall lilo. ditalia@ bt @lar My invention relates to vvall structure for l buildings and enclosures, such, for example, as

homes, oiiice buildings, vaults, storage chambers, and the like; and it has tov do more particularly with insulated walls for structures or the foregoing character.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide an improved thermally insulated Wall structure which is of simple construction, is inexpensive to construct, and which is highly emclent in minimizing the transfer of heat by radiation, convection and conduction.

Another object is to provide a metallic Wall unit which thermally insulates the vvvall and also re- Y c eives and supports plaster or other wall-surfacenishing materials.

A further object is to provide an insulating unit of the foregoing character which may be readily and quickly applied to the Wall structure and which may be matched. with similar units to build up and complete one or a plurality oi vvalll surfaces.

Still another object is to provide an all-metal unit of the foregoing character which includes one or more metallic sheets of suicient stiness and thickness to withstand preformed shapeand which are formed of a material possessing relatively low reflective characteristics when exposed to radiation of wave lengths Within the visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum and relatively high reflective characteristics when exposed to radiation of longer wave lengths than the visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum.

A more specific object is to provide" an al1- metal Wall-formingl unit which includes a wire mesh surface adapted to receive and support plaster or other wall-surface-nishing materials and to which there is iixedly attached, in spaced relation, one or more metallic sheets adaptedto be disposed within the Wall space defined in part by the Wire mesh surface oi the unit when the unit is iixed in place.

An additional object is to provide a thermally insulating wall unit which may be readily shipped and stored, which may be stocked in standardized sizes for s'ale and which, if necessary, may be readily and easily trimmed for re-sizing and matching by the user so as to fit irregularly sized and shaped wall surfaces. I

Other objects are to provide a thermally insulated wall structure which is substantially free -from condensation and the ill eiects thereof; to Vprovide a ireproof wall structure; to provide warp-proof wall surfaces; to provide wall struc- (mi. tbm-lib) ture which-is strong and durable and which aord near maximum thermal insulation ior practically the life of the structure insulated; to provide an insulated vvall structure which will reduce the cost oi heating the interior oi the en- 5 closure formed thereby, and which will aid in the maintenance oi a more nearly uniform temperature within such enclosure; and to provide a wall structure wherein the transfer of air therethrough by infiltration is reduced to the minimum.

Other objects and 'advantages will become obvious as this description progresses and by reierence tg the drawings, wherein,-

Figure 1 is an elevational plan view oi gne iorrn of vvall structure embodying this invention, certain of the parts of such structure being shovvn` cut away to more clearly illustrate the relationship oi the several parts thereof;

Fig. 2 is a section tairen substantially on line Z-t oi' Figs. i and 3; 20

Fig. 3 is a section taken substantially on line 3 3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. i is avievv similar to Fig. 2 but showing another 'iormoi structure embodying the invention, which figure is'taken substantially on line ill- Ji of Fig. 5; and

Fig. 5 is a section talren substantially on line t-b ot Fig. i. v In the drawings, the invention is illustrated as applied to a wall structure such as may be' employed in various iorms' of building structures;- however, it is to be understood that this invention is applicable to any iorm oi Wall -structure iii ccnnection with which similar conditions of use are to be met. The illustrated wall structure is particularly adapted for outer `Walls but, as in'the case of an enclosure like a house or omce building, structure embodying. this invention may equally well serve for all the inner Walls, including the ceilings and doors.

Referring particularly to the drawings, the wall structure shown includes the ordinary vertical stud members I0 spaced apart in a conventional manner and supporting at the outer sides thereof the usual boxing or outercovering Il which, in turn, supports the nishing surface which may take the form of weather boarding I2 or any other suitable material. 'The studs l0 are mounted upon the bottom sill plates I3 and they support, at their upper ends, the usual cap plates i4. The studs, sill plates and cap plates, together with the outer wall structure and the inner wall structure, which will be described more fully hereinafter, Iorm a closed wall space I5, there being, 55,

preferably, a plurality of such spaces in each wall to be insulated.

The wall structure further includes an inner wall I6 which embodies important features of this invention and which will now be described in detail. 'Ihe wall I6 takes the form of a plurality of metallic units each, preferably, of a size to extend throughout the length and width of one of the wall spaces I5. This unit includes a sheet of wire mesh Il which is, preferably, of sufcient length and width to overlap the inner edge surfaces of the studs II) and the cap and seal plates III for securement thereto by staples I8.

The wire mesh sheet II supports within the space I5 an imperforate metallic sheet I9 which is of substantially the same dimensions as the space I5 so that its several edges fit snugly against the adjacent surfaces of the studs I0 and the sill and cap plates I3, Ill. The metallic sheet I9 is xedly secured to the wire mesh sheet Ii' in substantially parallel relation with respect thereto as follows: Spaced vertical strands 20 of the wire mesh sheet are each provided with a plurality of spaced, inwardly extending, integral loops 2i which are spot-welded, or otherwise secured, to the adjacent face of the metallic sheet I3. The length of the supporting loops 2i may vary, depending upon the desired spacing of the sheet I 3.

It will be seen that the inner` wall unit Iii-IQ is of a character which may be readily and quickly installed. A plurality of these units, one for each of the spaces I5, may be employed to complete an entire wall surfare, and where irregularities occur in the shape and size of the spaces I5, these units may be readily trimmed and matched to provide a uniform surface.

The wire mesh sheet Il of the foregoing unit serves as a metal lath structure and it is adapted to receive a plaster body or covering 22 for finishing the inner wall surface. It is to be understood, however, if desired any other suitable form of wall nishing material which is secureable to the wire mesh sheet Il' may be substituted for the plaster without departing from this invention.

When the plaster 22 is applied to the outer surface of the wire mesh sheet Il, it naturally flows through the Wire mesh openings 23 and covers the inner, as well as the outer side, of the Wire mesh sheet so that, as the plaster dries and sets, it becomes securely bonded to the wire mesh sheet I'I in a manner which will be well understood. 'Ihe metallic sheet supporting loops 2I are of sufficient length that, when the plaster 22 is applied, a space 24 is provided between the inner surface of the plaster 22 and the adjacent face of the metallic sheet I9.

As more fully explained in Letters Patent No. 1,910,703, granted to me on May 23rd, 1933, a. large part of the total heat which is normally transmitted through a wall structure is by radiation transmission. I have found that the transfer of heat by radiation may be practically reduced to the minimum by the use of metallic sheets formed of a material which possesses relatively low reective characteristics when exposed to radiation of wave lengths within the visible portion of the electro-magnetic spectrum and relatively high reflective characteristics when exposed to radiation of longer Wave lengths than the visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, as more fully explained in my aforesaid patent. In using the expression relatively low and relatively high above, it is to be understood that this may mean low andhigh relative to each other, or low and high relative to material such as aluminum or other bright surface materials or coatings. I have found that commercial black steel well serves this purpose, the sheets of steel being of sufficient stiffness and thickness to retain preformed shape. Such a material possesses relatively low reflective efficiency when exposed to visible radiation and relatively high reflective efficiency when exposed to infra-red radiation as in the present case. The metallic sheet I9, therefore, is formed of a material possessing the foregoing characteristics and I, preferably, employ commercial black steel for the material of such sheet. Furthermore, for reasons more fully pointed out in my aforesaid patent, the metallic sheet I9 is located comparatively close to the inner wall plaster surface 22 so as to render the sheet more effective as an insulation agent as against the transfer of heat by not only radiation but also convection and conduction. By closely fitting the edges of the sheet I9 to the studs I0 and sill and cap plates I3 and Ill, the space 24 between the sheet I9 and the plaster 22 is substantially sealed from the remainder of the space I5 thereby dividing the space I5 into variabledepth spaces substantially sealed apart from each other, thereby further guarding against the setting up of convection currents which would tend to increase convection transfer of heat.

Ii' desired, a plurality of metallic sheets may be mounted in the space I5 for increased insulation effects, dependent upon the particular wall structure, its environment and conditions of use. Such an arrangementis illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5. 'I'his form is the same as that of the previous figures except that the metallic sheet 25, which corresponds to the sheet I 9, supports an additional and spaced metallic sheet 26. More particularly, in this form a sheet of wire mesh 27, which is secured to the vertical studs 28 and the cap and sill plates 29 and 30 by suitable staple devices, is provided with loops 3l which are fixed to the metallic sheet 25 by spot-welding or the like. The metallic sheet 25 is mounted parallel with the sheet 25 and it is preferably formed of the same material and to the same shape as the sheet 25 so that it ts between the studs 28 and the cap and sill plates 29 and 30 in the same manner as sheet 25.

The sheet 2G is supported upon the sheet 25 by rivet-and-sleeve devices 32-33. a sleeve 33 of a length equal to the distance that the sheets 25 and 26 are spaced apart is mounted between these sheets and rivets 32, passing through the sheets 25 and 26 and through the sleeves 33, secure these parts together so that the sheets are held xedly in the position shown in Fig. 5. In this form, the wire mesh sheet 21 supports, in effect, both of the sheets 25, 26 and these several parts constitute a self-contained unit which may be as readily applied to the wall structure as in the case of the unit of the prevlous gures. This wall surface is completed by plaster 34 as in the previous form.

In both of the previously described forms. the metallic sheet or sheets, preferably, have their surfaces preformed so as to provide therein a plurality of angular and intersecting plane surfaces 35 (Figs. 2 and 3) and 35' (Figs. 4 and 5), ribs 36 (Figs. 2 and 3) and 36 (Figs. 4 and 5) being provided at the intersection of these plane surfaces as disclosed in my aforesaid patent. By thus preforming and ribbing the metallic sheets, increased insulation eifects are obtained and the sheets are strengthened and arranged to avoid vibration.

Specifically,

aannam lt is believed that the operation and advantages of my invention will be welll understood from the foregoing. llt will be seen that the invention provides combined lath and insulation means of unitary form which may be readily and quiclrly applied to a wail structure, and which, together with a finishing surface such as plaster or the lilre, serves to complete and finish the wail surface. Such an arrangement is inexpensive to manufacture andgives to the user, at the minlmurn of cost, a substantially permanent wall l structure which is vhighly emcient in minimizing the transfer of heat by radiation, convection and conduction. rf'iriis materially reduces heating costs and enables the user to maintain lwithin a closure, such for example as a home, amore nearly'uniform temperature. vlhe invention fur ther provides structure which may be readily manufactured at a source and shipped and stored for general sales purposes. The units may be readily trimmed and matched so that both regular and irregular wall surfaces may be built up and completely finished in a minimum of time.

lit will be understood 'that while i' have shown and described only two forms of structure embodying the invention, other changes in details and arrangements of part may be made without departing fromkthe spirit a d scope of the claims which follow. For example, among other things, a greater number of metallic sheets may be employed. lin some instances the metallic sheets may be plain-surfaced instead of as shown. Separate members may be employed for securing the metallic sheet to the wire mesh sheet, in which case such members should be `securely fastened to both the insulating sheet and to the wire mesh sheet by welding or otherwise.

l. A wall-forming of wire mesh adapted' wall finishing material, a metallic sheet having a high heat-reflectivity surface and of sumcient thickness and stiffness to retain preformed shape, and means for iredly connecting said sheets togetherf in spaced and substantially parallel relation throughout, the spacing between said sheets being such that an air space is maintained between said sheets when a wall-finishing material is applied to said mesh sheet.

2. A wall-forming unit adapted to have a wallilnishing material applied thereto which includes a sheet of wire mesh, a sheet of commercial black steel, and means rigidly connecting said two sheets together in spaced and substantially parallel relation throughout so thatA they may be applied and removed as a self contained unit, the spacing of said sheets being such as to provide an insulating air space therebetween upon the application of a wall-nnishing material to said mesh sheet.

3. d wall-forming unit which includes a sheet of wire mesh, a metallic sheet formed of a material possessing relatively low redective characteristics when exposed to visible radiation and relatively high reective characteristics when exposed to infrared radiation, and means ilxedly securing said sheets together in spaced and subunit which includes a sheet stantially paralleled relation throughout to provide an air space for insulation purposes and to which one face of said metallic sheet is constantly exposed, said sheets being adapted to be applied and removed as a self-contained wall-forming unit. i

i. A wall-fornriingy unit which includes a sheet of wire mesh, an imperforate metallic .sheet to receive plaster or other formed of a material of sumcientstiffness and thickness to withstand preformed shape, said sheet having a high heat-reflectivity surface formed into a plurality of angular and intersecting plane surfaces, and means interconnecting said two sheets so that they may be applied and removed as a single wall-forming unit and for holding said sheets in. predetermined spaced and parallel relation throughout their facing surfaces.

5. .d wall-forming unit which includes a sheet of wire mesh, a metallic sheet having a high heat- A fliiedly secured to said metallic sheet for support of the latter by the mesh sheet as a unit, said loop members fixing a predetermined spaced and parallel relationship between said sheets throughout their facing surfaces.

'7. .d wall-forming unit which may be preformed and applied to and removed from the wall as a unit which includes a metallic lath member adapte-d to be secured to wall-supporting means, an imperforate metallic `sheet having a high heat-reflectivity surface and mounted in spaced relation to said lath member, means by which said lmetallic sheet is supported by said lath member in spaced relation throughout the surface of vsaid metallic sheet, said lath member having provision for bonded support of plaster or other wall nishing material.

B. Wall structure which comprises a sheet of plaster, or the like, material, a sheet of metallic material imbedded within said plaster for bonded support of the latter, an imperforate metallic sheet having a high heat-,reflectivity surface and being of sumcient stidness and thickness to Withstand preformed shape disposed in spaced relation to said plaster, and means projecting from said first metallic sheet and xedly secured to said imperforate metallicv sheet for support of the latter to provide a closed air space between said plaster and metallic sheet.

9. A wall-forming unit which may be applied to and removed from a wail structure as a unit which includes a metallic lathing sheet, a metallic sheet of sumcient stidness and thickness to retain preformed shape mounted in spaced relation to said lathing sheet, means readily securing said latching and metallic sheets together, another metallic sheet similar to the nrst metallic sheet mounted in spaced relation to the latter, and means rigidly securing said two metallic sheets together, both said metallic sheets having a high heat-reflectivity surface.

lil. A wall-forming unit which may be applied to and removed from a wall structure as a unit, which includes a metallic lathing sheet, a metallic sheet mounted in spaced relation to said lathing sheet, means readily securing saidtwo sheets together, another metallic sheet similar to the first metallic sheet mounted in spaced relation to the latter,` and means rigidly securing said two metallic sheets together, said metallic sheets being formed of a materialof sumcient rehectivity surface, and supporting nlienibersr thickness and stiffness to withstand preformed shape and possessing relatively low ,reective characteristics when exposed to visible radiation and relatively high reective characteristics when exposed to infra-red radiation.

11. A wall-forming unit' that may be applied to and removed from a wall structure as a unit which includes a metallic sheet having means adapted to support a wall iinishing material, a group of metallic sheets of sumcient thickness and stiiness to retain preformed shape secured together in spaced and substantially parallel relation with respect to each other, and means securing said group of sheets to said iirst metallic sheet in spaced substantially parallel relation with respect to the latter, said group of metallic sheets having surfaces of high heat reiiectivity.

12. A wall-forming unit that may be applied to and removed from a wall structure as a unit whichincludes a metallic sheet having means adapted to support a wall iinishing material, a group of metallic sheets formed of commercial black steel, said group of sheets being secured together in spaced and substantially parallel relation with respect to each other, and metallic means projecting from said rst sheet for securing said group of sheets to said iirst metallic sheet in spaced and substantially parallel relation with respect to the latter.

13. In structure of the class described, a pair of walls defining an air space to be insulated, one of said walls including a. plaster-supporting member, a metallic sheet having a high heat-reflectivity surface and c-arried by said plastersupporting member in spaced relation to the latter, and a plaster material carried by said plaster-supporting member in spaced relation throughout with respect to said metallic sheet.

14. In structure of the class described, a pair of walls deiining an air space to be insulated, one of said walls including a wire mesh sheet, an imperforate metallic sheet having a high heatreflectivity surface, means by which said metallic sheet is supported from said wire mesh sheet substantially parallel with and spaced from the latter, and a plaster material carried by s-aid wire mesh sheet in spaced relation throughout with respect to said metallic sheet.

15. In structure of the class described, a pair of walls defining an air space to be insulated, one of said Walls comprising a unitary structure including a wall-finishing element, a metallic supporting member to which said element is bonded, and a metallic sheet having a high heat-reiiectivity surface and carried by said supporting member in spaced relation to and substantially parallel with the latter and said wall-finishing element and of such size and shape as to divide said space into a plurality of air spaces substantally sealed apart from each other.

16. In structure of the class described, a pair of walls defining a space to be insulated, one of said walls comprising a unitary structure including a wall-finishing element, a metallic supporting member to which said element is bonded, and a metallic sheet carried by said supporting member in spaced relation to and substantially parallel with the latter and of such size and shape as to divide said space into a plurality of air spaces substantially sealed apart from each other, said metallic sheet being of suiiicient stiffness and thickness to withstand preformed shape and formed of a material possessing relatively low reflective characteristics when exposed to radiaaofi'aai i tion oi wave lengths falling within the visible portion of the electro-magnetic spectrum and relatively high reflective characteristics when exposed to radiation of longer wave lengths than the visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum.

17. In structure of the class described, a pair of walls defining an air space to be insulated, one of said walls comprising a unitary structure including a wall-finishing element, a metallic supporting member to which said element is bonded, and a metallic sheet carried by said supporting member in spaced relation to and substantially parallel with the latter and said wall-finishing element and of such si'ze and shape as to divide said space into a, plurality of air spaces substanstantially sealed apart from each other, said metallic sheet being of suicient stiffness and thickness to withstand preformed shape and having its surface divided into a plurality of angular and intersecting planes with rib members at the intersections of said planes, said surface having high heat-reflectivity.

18. In structure of the class described, the combination with an outer wall and supporting means therefor, of means forming an inner wall and defining an air space to be insulated which includes a supporting member, means securing said member to said supporting means, a metallic sheet having a high heat-reflectivity surface within said space in spaced relation to said supporting member, means connecting said supporting member and metallic sheet whereby the latter is supported by the former, and a wallrlnishing element carried by said supporting member on the side of the latter opposite said metallic sheet and in spaced relation to said metallic sheet.

19. In structure of the class described, the combination with an outer wall and supporting means therefor, of means forming an inner wall and dening an air space to be insulated which includes a. metallic supporting member, means securing said member to said supporting means, a metallic sheet having a high heat-reliectivity surface within said space in spaced relation to said supporting member, metallic means connecting said supporting member and metallic sheet whereby the latter is supported by the former, and a non-metallic wall-finishing element carried by said supporting member on the side of the latter opposite said metallic sheet and in spaced relation to said metallic sheet and sealing one side of the space between said metallic sheet and metallic supporting member.

20. In structure of the class described, means forming a closed air space of comparatively shallow depth, said means including a wall forming unit which comprises a metallic sheet having a high heat-reiiectivity surface mounted in said space with its edges engaging the edges of said space to -divide the latter into a plurality of air spaces substantially sealed apart from each other, a perforated sheet secured along one side of said space substantially parallel with said iirst sheet, means connecting said two sheets so that they may be applied and removed as a self-contained unit, and a wall-finishing covering mounted on said second sheet on its side opposite said first sheet and in spaced relation to said first sheet to close one side of the space between said two sheets.

21. In structure of the class described, means forming a closed space of comparatively shallow depth, said means including a wall forming unit anat/,ali lli;

which comprises a metallic sheet formed of a material possessing relatively low reilective characteristics when exposed to visible radiation and relatively high reflective characteristics when exposed to infra-red radiation mounted in said space with its edges engaging the edges of said space to divide the latter into a plurality of air spaces substantially sealed apart from each other, another sheet secured along one side of said space substantially parallel with sai-d first sheet, said sheets being so spaced apart that the ,space therebetween is of comparatively shallow depth, means connecting said two sheets together as a unit, and a wall-nishing covering mounted on said second sheet on its side opposite said first sheet.

22. In structure of the class described, means forming a space to be thermally insulated, said means including a wall unit which comprises a metallic lath member extending over one side of said spa-ce, a plurality of imperforate metallic sheets of suiiicient' thickness and stiffness to retain preformed shape mounted in said space in spaced relation with respect to each other and to said metallic lath member, said `sheets being formed of amaterial possessing relatively low reective characteristics when exposed to visible radiation and relatively high reective characteristics -when exposed to infra-red radiation, means rigidly fastening said metallic sheets together and to said metallic lath member whereby said sheets and member may be applied to and re- 5 moved from the wall structure as a unit, and

a wall nishing mnat'erial carried by said lath member.

23. In structure of the class described, means" forming a space to be thermally insulated, said l0 means including a Wall unit which comprises a metallic lath member extending over one side oi said space, a plurality of -steel sheets having a high heatreflectivity surface and of sufficient thickness and stiffness to retain preformed shape l5 mounted in said space in spaced relation with respect to each other and to said metallic lath V member, said steel sheets extending vthroughout said space to divide said space into a plurality of air spaces substantially sealed apart from each 20 other, means rigidly fastening said steel sheets together and to said metallic lath member Whereby said sheets and member may be applied to and. removed from the Wall structure as a unit, and a wall finishing material carried by said lath mem- 25 ber.

JOSEPH M. LE GRAND. 

